The former say, Spirit can exist without a cause; the latter say Matter
can exist without a cause. Whole libraries of theologic dogma would be
dearly purchased by Hume's profound remark--'if everything must have a
cause, it follows that upon the exclusion of other causes we must accept
of the object itself or of nothing as causes.'
If the God of our Deists and Christians is not matter, what is He? Upon
them devolves the difficult duty of answering that question. They are
morally bound to answer it or make the humiliating confession that they
'ignorantly worship;' that with all their boasted certainty as to the
existence of their 'deified error' they can furnish no satisfactory, or
even intelligible account of His [41:1] nature, if indeed a supernatural
or rather Unnatural Being can properly be said to have a nature.
The author of 'Good Sense' has observed, that names which may be made to
mean anything in reality mean nothing. Is not God a name of this class?
Our 'state puppet showmen,' as my Lord Brougham nicknamed Priests, who
talk so much about Gods, forcibly remind one of that ingenious exhibitor
of puppets, who, after saying to his juvenile patronisers--'Look to the
right, and there you will see the lions a dewouring the dogs,' was
asked--Which is the lion and which is the dogs?' to which query he
replied, 'Vichever you please, my little dears, it makes no difference
votsomnever.
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